Man on murder charge after mugging

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a pensioner who was mugged in Belfast city centre.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a pensioner who was mugged in Belfast city centre.

The 38-year-old man is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court today over the death of James Connor.

Mr Connor (67), from Hartington Court, Belfast, died in hospital after being assaulted and robbed near Ann Street on last Wednesday.

He was attacked from behind and struck a number of times on the head outside the Mermaid Bar in Wilson Court, off High Street, at about 5.30pm.

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In a separate incident, a man is fighting for his life after being assaulted in Co Antrim.

The 31-year-old victim was attacked by two men shortly before midnight yesterday in the Chapel Hill area of Lisburn.

Detectives are anxious to trace the driver of a car which had to swerve to avoid the incident.

In another assault an 18-year-old man was being treated in hospital for serious head injuries last night following an attack in Co Armagh.

Detectives at Lurgan said the assault occurred in the Shankill area of the town between 8pm and 10pm on Friday.

PSNI officers said there were up to 30 young people in the immediate vicinity when the assault occurred near the old community centre in the Shankill estate.

Police have also appealed for witnesses after two men received broken bones, cuts and bruises after being assaulted in Moy, Co Tyrone, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

They were attacked by a group of up to eight people - including one girl - at around 2.35am as they walked home in the Dungannon Street area.

Meanwhile, three adults and three children escaped injury yesterday after a petrol bomb was thrown at a house in Co Antrim.

It is understood two men on a motorbike pulled up outside the property in Alder Park, Antrim, and threw the device at a front window.

A PSNI spokeswoman said scorch damage was caused to the exterior of the building following the attack, which happened shortly before 3am.

Detectives are investigating a motive, and they have appealed for any witnesses to come forward. - (PA)